The Hamilton Family Foundation is a funder with a few very specific areas of focus within education. However, many eligible grantseekers aren’t familiar with those areas or how accessible the outfit is. Hamilton doesn’t bother with a letter of inquiry process, but rather skips right to the grant request. Unsolicited requests are welcome from eligible nonprofits for the foundation’s four annual grant cycles.

If you work in education in the Philadelphia area, these are the key features of this funder you need to know.

Reading & Writing for Grades K-8

Although this is an education funder, within that broad umbrella, the Hamilton Family Foundation is specifically looking for literacy-based education programs in underserved schools. Hamilton funds program support more than any other area, including in-school, after-school and summer literacy enrichment programming. Especially at the K-8 level, this funder wants to boost essential reading and writing skills to improve overall academic achievement.

College Prep for Grades 9-12

Hamilton’s big focus for high school programming is on college prep, more even than general literacy. College admission, college completion and employment success are all part of Hamilton’s high school strategy.

Direct Services & the Economically Underserved

This is a funder of direct services, and naturally, the focus is on low-income and economically disadvantaged local students. First-time grantees can expect to receive between $3,000 and $10,000 for program support, however, multi-year grants are rare.

Students in Philadelphia, Chester and Camden

Philadelphia-area grantseekers can rest assured that this is a very locally focused funder that stays close to home. At-risk youth in the cities of Philadelphia, Camden and Chester are the geographic purview of this foundation. Groups that provide programs outside these cities may apply for a grant, but only if invited by a member of the board the executive director.

The next application deadline is February 1, for which grants will be reviewed between mid-May and early June. The whole application process is conducted online. To learn more about this funder, check out IP’s full profile of the Hamilton Family Foundation.